


What is most of value must be won

by tungstenpincenez



Series: That Which Keeps Us Warm [15]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Crimes & Criminals, Friendship, Hostage Situations, M/M, Social Justice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27096952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tungstenpincenez/pseuds/tungstenpincenez
Summary: Loki joins the Avengers to tackle a hostage situation.
Relationships: Loki/Thor, Loki/Thor (Marvel)
Series: That Which Keeps Us Warm [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1036220
Kudos: 21





	What is most of value must be won

The announcer introduced the keynote speaker, the Princess Shuri of Wakanda, to thunderous applause. This was the event the entire conference was centred around: a novel method to purify water and make it available and affordable to the poorest households of the poorest countries of the world. Wakanda had established a fund to supply the materials needed; the labour, with fair wages, would be provided by the citizens of those countries. Their governments need not borrow the monies to ensure this improved quality of life for their populations.

When Princess Shuri stepped stiffly upon the stage, the room gave a collective gasp and the clapping ceased abruptly: a vestment of explosives was wrapped securely about her torso. She was guarded by two burly, masked men in full armour, who pushed her roughly toward the centre. Behind them, the large presentation screen suddenly came to life. A figure in white robes and conical mask peered down at them. Several members of the audience screamed: a large flag with a black symbol emblazoned upon it was perched behind the hooded figure. The symbol had not been so boldly displayed since the latter of the World Wars that Midgard had suffered in the previous century. A smaller rectangle suddenly appeared on the lower left corner of the screen, projecting the pale but defiant features of Princess Shuri and the small, arresting red light pulsating upon her torso.

The robed figure began to speak, informing that they were the new owners of the technology that the Princess Shuri had created. The Princess had unwisely refused to impart her knowledge, and so this worldwide transmission was a plea for her acquiescence; the speaker was certain that the citizens of Midgard could convince her that a change of heart would be best. They had thirty minutes to convince the princess, after which her life and those about her would be forfeit. 

Meanwhile, the Avengers had dispersed amidst the speaker’s demand and suited up, leaving behind the shattered and splintered remains of their luncheon upon the floor—Barnes had expressed his outrage with his metal fist. He and Rogers were the first to assemble by the quinjet, Rogers staring impatiently at his communication device for Fury to respond with orders.

Natasha was also staring at the device in her hand, and she let out a relieved breath when it gave off a small sound. She looked up and informed her friends that help was on the way.

As the two guards began to holler in threatening tones for the cowering assembly to be silent, they were suddenly disarmed and rendered unconscious by the man who materialized behind them. He stood before the princess and enveloped the explosives with tendrils of _seiðr_. He then unharnessed the vestment, turned toward the crowd, and made a show of first sealing the object into a glowing sphere and then, with a flourish, disappearing it. He snapped his fingers and the screen blackened, the transmission stoppered. 

Loki gave a warning look and gesture to prevent anyone from approaching, then turned and caught the princess as her legs gave from under her. He gently manoeuvred her into a conjured chair and knelt before her, speaking in low, soothing tones and grasping her trembling hands in warm, healing ones. When the princess finally managed a smile, he grinned and made an inquiry in a soft murmur. She nodded. He stood and stepped before the podium, announcing that the congregation should resume their seats and introducing the Princess Shuri. 

The princess spoke with determination for a half-hour and spent another hour answering questions. Loki stood guard all the while and afterwards placed her into the anxious arms of Queen Ramonda. He assured the Queen Mother and King T’Challa that he would remain upon Midgard to assist in the capture of those responsible for the violation upon the princess’ person.

~*~*~*~

Thor awaited Loki in the Avengers Facility, and the pair spent the next fortnight with their friends to execute the plan to capture the terrorists and dismantle their organization, which they discovered belonged to small factions whose larger network comprised of other terrorists cells of similar belief in white supremacy dispersed across several nations. And funded by the remnants of HYDRA.

Barnes and Natasha worked furiously to gather information on HYDRA’s connections and reach. Loki had scoffed at the initial plan by Rogers to take control of every cell within the network and refined it to such a degree that he earned a startling arm clasp from the grateful captain. He also reigned in the impatient Stark and his bloodthirsty beloved and gave them tasks to sufficiently occupy them until the planned attack could be coordinated and effectual. 

Once captured, an argument arose between nations as to the means of punishing the criminals. Many, including the Avengers, did not feel that lawful prosecution would suffice. Some proposed a tribunal, similar to those created to try Germany, Japan, and their allies in the aftermath of World War II. Others demanded death. 

In the end, an international trial was conducted. The punishment would be unpaid labouring for every nation who would benefit from the Princess Shuri’s water purification initiative and, subsequently, imprisonment for life.

~*~*~*~

Unbeknownst to the prosecutors, Loki had placed a spell of constraint upon every prisoner that prevented them from harming others by word or deed ever again. The Avengers had given grunts of approval when Thor revealed Loki’s act, despite his protestations.

They were further assuaged when they learned of the website that Fury had commissioned, which not only showed the names and photographs of each criminal but also detailed their affiliations with each other, the structure of their organizations, and a genealogy-like network of mentorship reaching back in time to the founders, several of which were men who had escaped capture and prosecution for their war crimes during the second of the World Wars.

The team cheered and celebrated when informed that a large sum of money in the shape of gold bars had been anonymously donated to the Wakandan water fund; Barnes and Natasha had smilingly acknowledged Loki’s assistance in converting the monies they had bled from all of HYDRA’s accounts into that form and delivering the large pile to the doorstep of the Wakandan princess. Simultaneously, all the known (and some heretofore unknown) remaining locations of HYDRA bases were blasted from existence, although thankfully, their annihilations were contained within a magical barrier and, therefore, left their surroundings intact. Brief video footage revealed that a mannequin with explosives wrapped about its torso had appeared in the heart of each base. 

Thor had wordlessly cradled Loki into his arms and brought him to their rooms.

~*~*~*~

Loki answered the knock on the door and was surprised by the presence of Dr Strange. The sorcerer asked for a private audience after which the pair quietly left the compound through a portal to the London Sanctum. There, the two combined their magics to eliminate through dreams the hateful indoctrinations from the minds of the womenfolk and children of the felons.

~*~*~*~

The Avengers awoke one morning and gathered to break fast. As they viewed the news broadcast, they watched in astonishment at the video of a large field outside of Pulaski, Tennessee, occupied by row upon row of stakes on which were hung the familiar white robes and conical masks of the speaker who had failed to subdue the Princess Shuri. Emblazoned on the robes were the various symbols of identity, including the swastika and the red skull. The reporters gathered had already completed the count, and there was a stake for every terrorist who had been tried and found guilty.

The sudden eruption of the stakes into flame caused screaming among the crowd, though many, including the reporter on the screen, refused to flee, instead continuing the dialogue in stunned tones. 

When the last embers had died and the live feed stopped, the newscasters providing their own commentary upon the scene, Thor was the first to turn and stare at Loki. Soon, all eyes were upon him. Finally unable to maintain his stoic expression, Loki rose and bowed to thunderous applause.

~*~*~*~

“Loki!” Shuri squealed as she embraced her friend. A small grunt and an unexpected barrier made her pull back and stare in astonishment at Loki’s lower abdomen. She gave another squeal when Loki removed his illusion. “You’re pregnant! Why didn’t you tell me?”

Loki grinned as he rubbed his protrusion. “There has been no opportunity. Natasha’s call for aid has had us all quite occupied these several weeks.”

“The baby is okay, though? All this running around and using up your magic hasn’t affected her—or him?”

“No, they are hale. Yes, Thor has saddled me with twins once again. Sons.”

“Well, that ought to keep him on his toes and out of trouble!”

Loki laughed. “Indeed!”

“Did you bring me another exciting gift? Those gold bars are surprisingly heavy!”

“Alas, I have depleted my store of both gifts and surprises. I have come to bid farewell, my dear princess.”

“Oh, no, don’t go yet! You haven’t even seen the first water system up and running!”

“I will return to celebrate with you, but I must depart for home. Thor and I have been on Midgard for longer than we had anticipated, and our daughters have pleaded for our return.”

Shuri sighed but nodded in understanding. “But you promise to come back! I’m holding you to it! Oh, wait, I’ve got something for the princesses.”

She placed an unassuming box into Loki’s hands. Upon opening it, Loki’s daughters discovered two blocks of interlocking pieces that, once successfully reassembled, modified their shapes so that the princesses had to find a new means to restructure them into their cubicle form. 

When Loki had witnessed the opening ceremony of the water system and once again bade farewell to Princess Shuri, he was presented with a second box “for the babies” that were a set of stacking toys that also changed shape to provide a new challenge with every encounter.

**Author's Note:**

> title adapted from William Wordsworth’s “Character of the Happy Warrior”


End file.
